Running can be called many ways, even a very strange sport. The sport in which you can start just to pick up a healthy lifestyle and you just end up breaking record after record. Regardless if we consider a world record, several world records, or simply national records, but not in any nation, but like in the UK! The examples are not by accident, because I want to write about two specific guys that have a similar path. An unbelievable ascension!
Sorokin became World’s no. 1 in long distance running
The world of running, mainly long distance running know Aleksandar Sorokin very well. The Lithuanian holds now most of the important world records, above 100 km & 12 hour running, so I won’t insist on this, but I would like to point out that he only started running in 2013, when he was 31 years of age to lose some weight from… 100 kilos! Sorokin was not a stranger to sports, as he went into kayak-canoe up to 25 years, when an injury ended his career. Some background was there, but to start running in 2013 from 100 kilos and in 2017 to win already the Spartathlon, that is something huge.
And then you have… Steve Way!
Is this possible? Only genetics, or… genetics play a good part? We already agreed that his sports background might have played a significant role, but when we put the 100 kilos in the equation, then things start to balance. This is why I will bring another example on the table, less known, maybe, but as powerful as Sorokin or even… more powerful? His name, Steve Way! The guy from UK is 49 years of age in 2023, when this article is written, but, oh boy, does he have a story! As like Sorokin, he started running to lose weight, as Way was over 100 kilos as well.
Running to lose weight, but at Olympic pace!
On top of this, he smoke 20 cigars a day and ate only junk food. He started at 32 years of age and in spite finishing a marathon, he took one more year of break. Then in 2007 he decided: 24 weeks training plan, with up to 200 kilometers / week (!!!) and a goal: under 3 hour marathon in London. He managed 2:35 and a lifetime change. Then, everything got better and better and the old sedentary lad remained behind. Instead, he celebrated year number 40 of his like with two outstanding milestones: UK national record at 100k (just below 6:20) and an outstanding PB on marathon, 2:15:16 which, at that time, was good to qualify for the Olympics!!!
So… it is not talent, it is genetics!
Now, reading these stories really drops my jaw, as I realize the explanation is not so complex, it is just that these guys, especially the Brit, because Sorokin had, though, some sports background, were natively given and so they discovered their potential and took the best of it. It is very unlikely Way will drop an even better time, because he’s getting older, but non the less it is an example, for life, that sometime we have hidden deep inside something that could be discovered by accident. This time, a lucky one. Running is not about talent, but about genetics. You don’t need talent to run, but you need a body that can take you fast from A to B!
Photo source: fastrunning.com